Zbornik radova Koridor 10 - Kirilo Savić

3rd International Scientific and Professional Conference
CORRIDOR 10 - a sustainable way of integrations
periodically taken by a specialised waste-treatment team and disposed. Glass fibres and styrophore
material that are used for insulation purposes can be recycled by removing them safely and reselling
them to various users. Others such as chemicals, paints and oil-mixed sludges are collected by the by
authorized organizations’ hazardous waste management unit and stored in a specialised storage area.
Liquid wastes
Liquid wastes are generally bilge and ballast waters contaminated by oil and various chemicals. Bilgewater
in engine rooms can be further mixed with fuel and oil. They belong to the category of oily
waste, often contaminated with oil and cargo residues together with other pollutants, such as -
inorganic salts, metals, such as arsenic, copper, chromium, lead and mercury [9-11]. The composition
of the water can be very different, depending on the type of vessel from which comes. Occasionally,
oily waste is spilled into the aquatic environment during the scrapping process and the water around
the yards may be polluted.
The collected oily wastes are carried to certificated reprocessing companies or to a specialised facility
for disposal and the domestic wastes of the vessels are collected in the cesspools of the shipbreaking
yards, and later are transported to the sewage treatment plants.
Atmospheric pollutants
The most important atmospheric pollutant of shipbreaking activities is the asbestos. If not properly
disposed, it can form a cancerogenic powder. The usual way is to disassemble asbestos linings by
wetting and removing them in bulk. Present asbestos removal facility and team for the removal of this
material have greatly reduced the risk of this mode of pollution. Disassembling of air conditioning and
refrigeration systems can also result in the release of refrigerant chloro-fluoro carbon series chemicals
that are hazardous to the ozone layer. Some shipboard fire extinguishing systems can also be the
source of such gases. The availability of licensed companies for this activity implies an improved
capacity for this hazardous waste in the local area. Another source of atmospheric pollutants is the
practice of stripping the electrical cables off their insulation by burning: plastic material used for
insulation is a source of highly toxic gases such as dioxins, polychromatic hydrocarbons, etc. [12].
Apart from the atmospheric pollution, flammable gases from fuel or oil tank residues become highly
explosive if mixed with air in certain proportions. Therefore, proper gas freeing and gas monitoring
procedures have to be followed before a ship is broken. Greenpeace has reported several fatal
accidents in the past [12].
Heavy metal pollution of water area
Data from various sources show a high concentration of heavy metals at the site of vessels'
dismantling. For example, a study has also been carried out at a similar shipbreaking location at
Alang, India. It has been reported that at a near shore station near Alang, concentrations of Fe, Mn,
Co, Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd, Ni and Hg are 25-15, 500% higher when compared to another control station at
the surroundings [13].
The group of marine ecologists and chemists from the Dokuz Eylul University Institute of Marine
Sciences and Technology in Turkey conducted a study by taking samples from the location close to
the shipbreaking yards. Results of this study showed that Al and Fe are above their normal levels due
to the existence of shipbreaking and steel industry ashore. Also Cd, Ni and Zn at the surface water
were found to be higher than the normal levels [14].
3. DISPOSAL AND RECYCLING
The waste/material stream following demolition is distributed and transported out of the dismantling
site to local enterprises for re-sale, re-manufacturing or recycling. These enterprises are usually
located within the vicinity of the dismantling facility and are often under the same or related ownership.
Re-sale:
The trade of recovered usable items may be found in the vicinity of the scrapping facilities or items
may be transported to central areas (main cities) for re-sale. The individual trade facilities tend to
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